How can we use all this carbon dioxide?

Question

i hate the very idea of 'waste', if you look at it right, everything is a resource in the wrong place. so what can we do with all this spare CO2?

i'm glad i'm not the only one thinking like this;

Five Ways to turn CO2 into CASH

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1560/81/

i'm rooting for algae.

they missed the 'green concrete' thing.

Answer 1

Biofuel from algae is a great idea.  The US could become self-sufficient for an investment of $308 billion.  The cost estimate is $0.33 per gallon.  The capital cost is less than the cost of invading Iraq and the cost to the consumer would be about 1/10 of what they are paying now.  

http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_...

There are more lucrative applications than fuel.  The highest value use for CO2 is growing greenhouse vegetables.  A pure source is needed.  The combustion of coal releases a toxic mix of heavy metals that are not desirable in vegetables.  A scrubber would be needed to utilize flue gas from a coal generating plant.  

http://www.aquamoponicsjournal.com/artic...

The article cited underestimates the value of polycarbonate by a factor of about 10.  I buy it for prototyping from Laird plastics and its not cheap.

http://www.lairdplastics.com/content/sec...

Answer 2

Kinda off-topic but... if we want to capture all the atmospheric carbon...

Convert every ornamental grass lawn and sidewalk into a garden!

In Portland, OR there is this man who does this.  All he does is ask people if he can plant a small garden on their lawn or in the space between the curb and sidewalk.  If they agree he does everything, uses their water and in return gives them some of the produce.

The rest goes to the local mission to feed the homeless.

Answer 3

Some of those ideas are blatantly crackpot.

To turn CO2 back into a fuel, you would need to apply the same amount of energy as would haven been released if the CO2 was produced by burning fossil fuels, plus a bit to account for energy losses in the conversion system.  If the energy was applied from fuel burning sources (fossil fuel or bio fuel) you would atleast 1.5-2 times the amount you would produce.

Using it to stimulate algae growth is simply stepping up natures current process for limiting co2.  If you do this there are likely to be consequential environmental damage as too much algae in an area will stifle other lifeforms.  And the process of capturing, processing, harvesting etc will all have energy inputs greater than the energy output of the fuel. As soon as the fuel is burnt, the CO2 is back outheir with no net benefit.

The best solution is to leave the buried CO2 where it is.

Answer 4

I saw that article too - interesting stuff.  I like the algae idea because you're basically using the byproduct of fuel to make a new fuel.

Answer 5

sell it as job lot on ebay

Answer 6

I understand your comment on "hate" but I would like to give you something to digest.

What is going to happen to the CO2 if we don't start at the source.  My answer - it is going to get worse no matter what we do.

Here is why - as long as each individual can ignore the problem then that is a serious issue because it'll just expand.  It has to start of the consumer level but it'll affect personal cost because it is way too expensive to live "green."

We can't keep allowing for a "few" people to be green while others just increase there consumption rates.  Example, look at hybrid vehicles sales increases but also more SUV are being sold.  Does that makes sense?  

Also, we have to develop technologies that are truly "green" or moving in that direction.  The root of this problem needs to start at the manufacture level but unfortunately if wont because of money issues.  So, the alternative is to push the issue via gov't but this process is too slow and cumbersome.

Money drive too many of these issues and it wont be solved.  At least, not in my lifetime.

Answer 7

plant more trees and plants. they wil consume the co2 for fuel and create.......................o2.